General
devotchka
What does devotchka mean?
Used more loosely for any female the speaker fancies or notices, with a streetwise tone.
"There was this devotchka he could not stop staring at."
Origin
Coined by Burgess in A Clockwork Orange (1962) from the Russian 'devochka', 'girl', one of many Russian-derived Nadsat nouns Burgess used to defamiliarise English for the reader.
Frequently asked questions
What does devotchka mean?
It is Nadsat for a girl or young woman, from the Russian 'devochka'.
How is devotchka different from ptitsa?
Devotchka leans toward a younger girl, while ptitsa (literally 'bird') refers more generally to a woman.
Is devotchka a real Russian word?
The root 'devochka' is genuine Russian; Burgess only anglicised its spelling for Nadsat.
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